Category: Prayer

Praying Hands

Acts 9:40

But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Praying hands (German: Betende Hände), also known as Study of the Hands of an Apostle (Studie zu den Händen eines Apostels), is a pen-and-ink drawing by the German printmaker, painter and theorist Albrecht Dürer. The work is today stored at the Albertina museum in Vienna, Austria. Dürer created the drawing using the technique of white heightening and black ink on (self-made) blue colored paper. The drawing shows a close up of two male hands clasped together praying. Also, the partly rolled up sleeves are seen.

The drawing is a sketch (study) for hands of an apostles who was planned to occupy the central panel of the triptych in installed in Frankfurt titled the Heller Altarpiece, which was later destroyed by a fire in 1729.^[1] The sketched hands appear on the triptych on the right side of the central panel, and although the detail appears very similar, it is smaller in size in the triptych.

The drawing also once contained a sketch of the apostle’s head, but the sheet with the head has been separated from it. Overall, Dürer made 18 sketches for the altarpiece.^[2] The first public recognition of the artwork was in 1871 when it was exhibited in Vienna, and the image is thought probably to depict Dürer’s own hands

A Christian Journey

In a world that’s ever spinning, midst the noise and ceaseless din, Christian life is but beginning, when we let the Savior in.

From the cross at Calvary’s hilltop, to the empty tomb so grand, Echoes love, forgiveness, mercy, reaching out to every land.

With each step upon the journey, through the valleys and the peaks, There’s a hand that gently guides us, even when His voice seems meek.

Faith, the cornerstone of ages, hope, the anchor for our soul, Love, the greatest of all virtues, makes the broken spirit whole.

In the trials and tribulations, in the joys and moments sweet, Christian life is not just living, but in Christ, we are complete.

Doubt may rear its head and tempt us, shadows creep and cause us strife, Yet the Light, forever shining, cuts the dark with a sacred knife.

Living water, bread of heaven, feed our souls and quench our thirst, In His word, we find our refuge, in His arms, we’re always first.

Cherished tales of saints and martyrs, testament to enduring grace, Speak of passion, faith, and purpose, and the promise we embrace.

Through the seasons, through the ages, with the cross as our true north, Christian life is not mere passage, but a beacon leading forth.

With a song of hallelujah, with a prayer in quiet night, We pursue the path of righteousness, ever towards His holy light.

In the end, as dawn is breaking, when the final race is run, Christian life’s true destination, is in union with the Son.

Faith takes Flight

In the realm where faith takes flight,

Amidst the vast celestial night,

There lies a path, profound and bright,

The Christian soul’s enduring light.

The firmament of belief, a sacred sphere,

Where every prayer, sincere, draws near,

A realm beyond the transient here,

Where love’s essence shines clear.

The metaphysical veil, a thin divide,

Between the seen and the unseen side,

Where sacred truths in silence bide,

And mortal yearning seeks to confide.

Through grace, the veil is gently torn,

A glimpse of the eternal, to the seeker,

is shown, In the humble heart, faith is reborn,

A journey toward the Divine, devoutly sworn.

In the cryptic dance of scripture’s verse,

Lies a universe of meaning, vast and diverse,

A call to delve deeper, to immerse,

In the mystic heart of the universe.

The cross, a symbol of sacrifice,

A testament to love’s boundless price,

In the face of despair, hope’s edifice,

The Christian soul’s unyielding device.

The quest for truth, a holy fire,

A righteous, unyielding desire,

To ascend the spiritual spire,

And to the essence of love aspire.

In the stillness of the sacred space,

The soul seeks the Divine embrace,

A journey of faith, through grace,

Towards the eternal, loving, holy place.

In the quest, the soul learns to see,

The profound depths of the holy decree,

In the heart of Christianity,

Lies the path to the Divine, the soul set free.

Morning Prayer

Oh Morning Prayer it reaches you

the quiet moment comes

When suddenly no more the fear

and battles they are done

We see your Power in everything

from tree to singing birds

declaring all your Majesty,

We open up your Word.

Testimony Time

Romans 1

Longing to Go to Rome

Image result for testifying about the goodness of god

⁸First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ⁹For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ¹¹For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— ¹²that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. ¹³I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,^[c] that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,^[d] both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Salvation Army is a church where people are encouraged to stand up and give there testimony (though not everyone prefers to do that). Another way of testifying is through song and I found this toe tapping song to sing along to

Prayer

Luke 11:1-13 New International Version

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

²He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,^[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.^[b]
³Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.^[c]
And lead us not into temptation.^[d]’”

⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at Image result for prayer midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Whilst yesterday’s blog was based on Holiness and discipleship I have based today’s blog on prayer using the simple prayer chorus ‘Teach me ho to love thee’

Teach me how to love thee,
Teach me how to pray,
Teach me how to serve thee
Better every day;
Teach me how to serve thee
Better every day.

Have Thine Own Way, Lord

Jeremiah 18:3-6 New International Version

³So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. ⁴But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

⁵Then the word of the Lord came to me. ⁶He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

The hymn was inspired in 1902 by a simple prayer of an elderly woman at a prayer meeting: “It really doesn’t matter what you do with us, Lord — just have your way with our lives . . ..”

The author, Adelaide A. Pollard (1862-1934) was born in Iowa. Hymnologist Kenneth Osbeck provides a detailed description of her life. He notes that following her education in elocution and physical culture, she moved to Chicago where she became a teacher in girls’ schools. In addition, she developed a fine reputation as an itinerant Bible study teacher. Later, she worked with two evangelists, one who developed a healing ministry, and the other who focused on the imminent return of Christ.

Pollard had a strong desire to be a missionary in Africa. When this plan was not fulfilled, she taught at a Missionary Training School at Nyack-on-the-Hudson. She finally made it to Africa for a brief period before World War I, but she spent the war years in Scotland. After returning to the United States, she continued her ministry even though she was in poor health.

“Have Thine Own Way, Lord” was composed during a time when Miss Pollard was trying to raise funds to make a trip to Africa. Her unsuccessful attempt to do this left her experiencing a “distress of soul.” This crisis of the soul and the simple prayer of an elderly lady provided a setting for personal reflection on the will of God for her life. After the prayer meeting, she returned home and wrote the hymn as we sing it today.

The text with its tune ADELAIDE was included in the Northfield Hymnal with Alexander’s Supplement (1907). Two changes were made for The United Methodist Hymnal: In stanza two, “Master” was changed to “Savior” and “whiter than snow” was changed to “wash me just now.” This change offers insight into the process of editing a hymnal.

The Rev. Carlton R. Young, editor of The United Methodist Hymnal, noted in his Companion to the United Methodist Hymnal: “The Hymnal Revision Committee debate on the latter change was intense and sustained. Those proposing the change stated that one does not have to be white, a North European, or Anglo Caucasian to be perceived as spiritually pure and socially acceptable. An African American member said, ‘You can wash me as much as you wish, but after you’ve finished, I’ll be just as black, which is beautiful.’ Those who wished to retain the original argue that the reference to washing was not about the pigmentation of human skin, but to the soul as in Psalm 51:7, ‘Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.'”

The third stanza perhaps is autobiographical, reflecting the struggle of Miss Pollard to discern God’s will for her life: “Wounded and weary, help me I pray!” This stanza also summons the “power” of Christ to “Touch me and heal me.” The final stanza invokes the Spirit to “fill” the singer, “till all shall see/Christ only, always,/living in me! The Rev. Young notes that, “In her last years she was attracted to extreme texts, living the life of a mystic.”

Hoping for Help

Lamentations 3 The Message

It’s a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God

^19-21I’ll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
    the taste of ashes, the poison I’ve swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
    the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there’s one other thing I remember,
    and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

^22-24God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out,
    his merciful love couldn’t have dried up.
They’re created new every morning.
    How great your faithfulness!
I’m sticking with God (I say it over and over).
    He’s all I’ve got left.

^25-27God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
    to the woman who diligently seeks.
It’s a good thing to quietly hope,
    quietly hope for help from God.
It’s a good thing when you’re young
    to stick it out through the hard times.

^28-30When life is heavy and hard to take,
    go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don’t ask questions:
    Wait for hope to appear.
Don’t run from trouble. Take it full-face.
    The “worst” is never the worst.

^31-33Why? Because the Master won’t ever
    walk out and fail to return.
If he works severely, he also works tenderly.
    His stockpiles of loyal love are immense.
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
    in throwing roadblocks in the way:

^34-36Stomping down hard
    on luckless prisoners,
Refusing justice to victims
    in the court of High God,
Tampering with evidence—
    the Master does not approve of such things.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is Thy faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

A Lesson in Worship

1 Timothy 2 New International Version

Instructions on worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people – ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ⁷And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle – I am telling the truth, I am not lying – and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

⁸Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. ⁹I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

¹¹A woman^[a] should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹²I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man;^[b] she must be quiet. ¹³For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. ¹⁵But women^[c] will be saved through childbearing – if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Broken Hearts

See the source image

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

There are of course several other bible verses I could list.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

As we are reminded in this video throughout the pain we suffer we can come to him in prayer and put our Trust in him to heal that broken heart because God loves us and cares for us